Blackbird song
by BlueThief
Summary: Perhaps if he was on the verge of death, his brother would come to his senses? He would never do it intentionally and perhaps his enemy did see the struggle and decided to give a little push.
_**Note:** I saw a post on tumblr regarding that Hashirama prioritized his friendship with Madara instead of his family and after going through the chapters more than one time, I can't help but feel the same and bad for Tobirama. So I decided to write a one-shot where Hashirama realizes, in a hard way, that you only have one family. Hope you enjoy..._

* * *

The scent of blood hit him harder than he thought. His red eyes looked down at the stab he just received; straight into his stomach. He looked at his enemy and saw him smirking before he coughed, blood dripping from his mouth. He touched the wound, hoping to stop the bleeding, but before he knew it, there was another stab, his right arm.

"Time to die, Senju." The man, in front, spat and raised his katana.

"Tobirama" Hashirama called and looked over at his brother, who was kneeling in front of an Uchiha. "Get up" He yelled, fear overtaking him.

Even though Tobirama wanted to stand up, he couldn't. He was tired from never ending battles. He was tired of seeing people of his, and dare he say, and enemy's kin to die for something that even their predecessor were fighting for. But then again, what were they even fighting for? Peace?

A bitter laugh escaped his lips as he stared at the Uchiha in front of himself, his crimson red eyes boring right through his soul. This was the moment where he dies. This was the moment where he could leave his older brother to do as he wished to do. He cared for him, he did, but there was something inside of him that left him with nothing but relief.

As the Uchiha stared into his eyes, Tobirama closed them just in time he felt another stab right through his chest. He coughed, the katana pulled out. He felt the cold ground welcoming him, his breath hitching and shallow. He coughed and looked up into blue sky.

 **Was it always so blue?** He wondered before his brother came into his vision, holding the hand down on the place where he was stabbed. "Watch for enemies" He wanted to say, but he didn't feel any strength. It was leaving him along with the vision.

"Stay with me, Tobirama." He heard Hashirama say as the warmth spread in the place of the stab.

"Too…la…" He couldn't speak and he could see, feel, fear in his brother's eyes. **How funny…** He thought. **You were never worried for me…less alone showed your emotions so clear.** He closed his eyes, coldness spreading in his body as the warmth disappeared as quickly as it came.

The sigh of his brother kneeling in front of the enemy, beaten, hit Hashirama hard. There was blood all around him and he wouldn't mind, but seeing his brother, his only brother left alive, on the ground made him fear. An image of his younger brothers appeared in front of him, cold, some even scattered body parts, and he shuddered.

"Tobirama" He called and yelled at him to stand up.

But Tobirama didn't look his way or moved. The enemy in front of him was smirking as he raised his katana and that was the cue for Hashirama as he stabbed his only brother alive into chest. It felt like everything around has started moving in slow motion. His gaze hardened as he killed the man he was fighting with before he charged at the Uchiha that stabbed Tobirama.

Before he could reach them, the man was gone. Without a second thought, Hashirama knelt by Tobirama and held him, one hand already over the stab in his chest as it was the only one that was threatening his life. He didn't realize he was shivering and he could see his younger brother wanted to tell him something.

"Stay with me…" His voice was nothing but a whisper as the light in his brother's eyes was slowly fading. "Come on, Tobi…" He murmured, the hand that was unconsciously placed over his, slipping down to the ground. "Tobi…" He called and gritted his teeth, the green light under his hand becoming weaker. "Don't die on me. Not now…" He groaned.

An image of young Tobirama and Itama appeared in front of him. They were both smiling before Kawarama appeared. Without even realizing, the tears were streaming down his cheeks as he held his younger brother closer to his chest. The pain of losing a family… He had forgotten about it, but now it hit him two times stronger than when Itama and Kawarama died.

But then, just like there was a small hope, still holding on, the warmth of his brother didn't leave. Hashirama looked down and felt the slow beating of his heart. He looked around the ground and saw many Senju's and Uchiha's still fighting. He shook with head, knowing his brother will scold him for retreating, but his clan came first. His own flesh and blood mattered more than any kind of ongoing war.

-:-

Pacing up and down in front of a tent, Hashirama couldn't stay calm. He was a patient man, that he was, but when it came to his family, all the patience he ever had and stored left. He didn't want to wait; he wanted Tobirama to be awake now, in this moment. But he knew he was asking for impossible.

"Hashirama-sama…" A middle-aged woman walked out of the tent, her hands clean.

That seemed to snap the Senju out of his thinking as he faced her in a matter of seconds. "How is Tobirama?" He asked.

"He is stable," The woman spoke gently, but Hashirama knew there was more; "but unconscious and there is a possibility he has internal bleeding. We managed to get him stable…" Her voice was ever so soft and it made the man shudder. "Though I can't precisely say when he will wake up, but it appears that the first aid you have given him was enough to not let him die. You can visit him." Her lips turned in a gentle smile.

With a quiet "Thank you," he walked in the tent and only now realized the cost and the damage of the war that has been going on for decades, if not centuries. He looked at the men, young and old, some barely teens, lying either unconscious or sleeping. How couldn't he see this before?

"This way," A young woman's voice made him to look after her retreating back until she walked behind a curtain.

He walked after her and sighed in slight relief when he saw his younger brother, lying on a stretcher. He sat down, finally letting down the strong façade he was holding on for his clan, and leaned on his knees. He let out a breath he held unknowingly and looked at the peaceful face Tobirama was making. He was relieved, yet the cries and the groans of pain he heard in the tent, made him unable to completely relax.

He had no idea when his only family will wake up as he already knew the clan members won't let this slide by. If only there was a chance, just a small chance, to change their minds and to leave this place, would they be able to live in peace? Or would the Uchiha come after them and want them all dead? He can't let any more of his clan, of his kin, to die.

The days passed silently, both sides not ending any confrontation, as Hashirama spent more time in a tent, helping with tending the injuries of his clan. There were children, sitting by their family, their parents and siblings, talking to them or just quietly sitting beside, hoping they would wake up soon. It pained him to see the same situation he saw when he was a child. He didn't want any of them to see nothing but a part of their family, like he saw of his brother.

-:-

Tobirama felt like he was dreaming. The pain he felt moments ago disappeared and the next moment he opened his eyes, he saw himself in a place surrounded by trees. He was laying on the grass, sky ever so blue, and a river not too far from him. He sat up and looked around, trying to remember how he got here until the images of the war and his final moments passed in front of him like a videotape.

A shiver ran down his sides before he stood up. Realizing he wore only a white haori and blue kimono underneath. His hands unconsciously went to the place he was stabbed in; expecting to feel something, a pain, anything, but he felt nothing. There was nothing.

" _Brother?_ " There was a child-like voice that made him look over the river, which was wider than it looked at first.

His red eyes widened at the appearance of his brothers. Kawarama and Itama were standing there, looking at him like he wasn't supposed to be there. He opened his mouth, trying to say something, anything, but no sound came out. The two Senju brothers looked at each other as they walked closer to the river and sat down, both smiling like neither of them were killed.

"You look horrible…" Kawarama spoke, breaking the silence. His lips were spread in a wide grin that made Itama chuckle as Tobirama frowned.

Looking around once again, trying to figure out where he was, Itama spoke: "This is the border of afterlife." which made Tobirama look at his siblings once again. "You cross this river and you are dead." There was a sad smile on his lips and the next time the red-eyed Senju looked down, he found himself as a child.

"W-what?" He murmured confusion visible on his face.

"You look weird as a grown up." Kawarama frowned this time, but grinned second later as Itama nodded by his side. "How is Hashirama?" he asked.

Tobirama decided to sit down. After all, you don't get a chance to speak to your dead brothers every day. "He is fine… I think." He answered, not used to his child-like voice that he had. "He is probably fighting against Uchiha's…" he trailed away, not sure if Hashirama really was fighting or not.

"You are still fighting with Uchiha's?" Itama frowned.

"Sorry…" Tobirama spoke, his gaze on the river in front. "I couldn't protect either of you…" His voice trailed once again and he felt a lump growing in his throat, making him unable to speak more.

Kawarama and Itama looked at each other before they laughed. "What are you apologizing for, baka Tobi?" Kawarama said. "We died as shinobi should have died if the old age isn't the cause." His smile was ever so bright and wide as Tobirama remembered despite all the war going on.

And this time he smiled. The gentle smile that Tobirama showed only to his family, to his brothers. And as the time passed, the three Senju siblings talked of the events that happened after their death. Neither of them realized there was a presence of their father, who was standing in the shadows, listening to their talk. A proud smile was masking his lips, but he didn't want to make himself visible or let his children know he was there. He knew he was harsh on them, but he had to be if they wanted to survive in the cruel world.

"You are leaving," Itama spoke, a warm smile on his lips. Tobirama looked down to see what he was talking about and saw his body slowly disappearing.

"It looks like you are not ready to come yet." Kawarama grinned.

"Say hi to Hashirama, okay?" The young Senju raised his hand and waved with the last words spoken from both: "See you, Tobi…"

A gasp was heard along with voices as his red eyes snapped open. White and the scent of blood hit him once again. There was pain in his stomach, chest and right arm. He was alive.

"Tobirama" He heard Hashirama call and come into his vision moments later along with a young woman, who—he imagined—was treating him. His left hand trailed up to his right shoulder and winced in pain. He damn sure was alive.

"Tobirama…" Hashirama's voice made the young Senju look at his older brother and saw relief in his eyes.

He wanted to sit up, but the woman pushed him back down only to gain a glare from him. "You need to rest, Tobirama-sama. You haven't fully healed yet." She said and looked at Hashirama. "Look after him. I am only going to get medicine. And don't let me see him sitting up." She gave him a look that Hashirama returned with a nod and smile.

When the woman left, the Senju clan head turned back to his brother, his eyes different. It made Tobirama wonder what happened after he passed out before remembering Itama's words.

He opened his mouth, a hollow "I-Itama…" voice coming.

"Itama?" Hashirama's eyes widened before a wave of guilt overcame him. He leaned down on the stretches and closed his eyes, Tobirama's eyes looking at him in confusion. "I am sorry…" He whispered. "I am sorry I couldn't protect you or Itama or Kawarama… I am sorry…"

Tobirama's gaze softened and a small smile spread on his lips. He could see the pain and the fear in his eyes and that was all he needed. He needed to see that Hashirama still loved him as a brother like he did and that he still cared for his family more than his enemy. He raised his hand and patted him on the head, which he never did, only to gain a confusing startle and look.

"Tobi…rama…?" Hashirama called.

"Thank…you…" Tobirama's quiet voice made Hashirama's eyes wide as his hand slid down to the ground and closed his eyes.


End file.
